Hi all,
Ran into an issue recently. I have 4 gourds and had them blocked off until my ASY male came back a few weeks ago. During the block off, a pair of TS was showing interest, but ended up in a bluebird house about 15 yards away. I thought all was good until a damn house sparrow kicked them out of the bluebird house yesterday. I'm in the process of evicting (shooting) the HOSP, but he's smart. Now, the TS are back in one of the gourds on my martin set up. My ASY male has attracted an ASY female but they haven't started nesting yet. I don't want to close the gourds now, cuz the martins may leave. The TS and martins seem to be getting along, but I doubt that's plausible long term. What would you do?????
Martins and TS living together?
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MNguy
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:58 pm
- Location: Dakota Cty, MN
- Martin Colony History: 2014 - first year, zero activity
2015 - Nothing
2016 - SY male visited and stayed a few weeks, unable to attract a mate
2017 - SY pair arrived June 6 - 3 eggs laid, 2 hatched, 1 fledged.
2018 - ASY male, SY female - 5 eggs, 5 hatched, lost all 5 prematurely
2019 - SY male hungout for a month, no mate, several visitors
2020 - SY Pair - 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2021 - ASY male returned 4/26
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Hi MNguy,
Here is where you will find the best info on your problem. On the purplemartin.org website go to the education section near the top of the page. Click it on and scroll down to the Downlaod Center, click it on. Then, once you are in the Download center, scroll down to the bottom and click on Tree Swallow Emergency. Basically you will need to gradually move that gourd with the tree swallow slowly away from your martin colony, about 2o feet each time. The details are in the Tree Swallow Emergency. Best of luck my friend.
Tree Swallows and martins are not a good mix.
Here is where you will find the best info on your problem. On the purplemartin.org website go to the education section near the top of the page. Click it on and scroll down to the Downlaod Center, click it on. Then, once you are in the Download center, scroll down to the bottom and click on Tree Swallow Emergency. Basically you will need to gradually move that gourd with the tree swallow slowly away from your martin colony, about 2o feet each time. The details are in the Tree Swallow Emergency. Best of luck my friend.
Tree Swallows and martins are not a good mix.
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randyM
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
- Location: Long Lake SD
- Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%)
* 2018 - 10 pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 235 pairs, 950/1153 eggs hatched, 865 fledged - 100 young banded & 18 SY returned (18.0%)
*2025 - 200 pairs, 795/953 eggs hatched, 739 fledged - 200 young banded
Do as the other's have said in previous responses and leave all gourds open. If the TS and martins have been tolerating each other over the past few weeks they likely have accepted each other as local residents and no major fighting should occur this year going forward. I have a pair of TS that laid their 3rd egg today in a gourd hanging beneath one of my martin houses. That house has 3 PM pairs, that are either nest building or just beginning to set up shop. All birds of both species just go about their daily business with little to no interaction with each other. If your male nested at your site last year he has claimed this site as his and it is unlikely even the most persistent pesky TS will chase him off.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
The only time I have experience TS running PM's off are at a new colony with "investigating" martins. Once you have returning ASY's I have never experience TS causing them to leave. We have a very heavy TS population in my area and I had documented years ago at my old colony two pair of TS nesting next to each other in the same gourd rack with PM's too. That's the only time I have seen TS nest in the same rack as PM's and the only time I have seen TS in the same rack with other TS.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.